In emergencies evacuation from multi-story buildings is problematic. Specifically, where a situation, for example, a fire occurs in a lower floor people on upper floors may be trapped. In such situations use of elevators is generally not recommended and, where interruptions to power supply occur, is not possible. Many modern buildings are constructed so as to include fireproof floors at some levels. However, public confidence in the ability of fire proofing systems is not high. Further, it has become apparent that there are emergency situations that may arise as a result of deliberate sabotage in which the structural integrity of the building is compromised. In such situations fast escape from the building may be required for large numbers of personnel in a short space of time to avoid injury and fatality on a large scale as a building collapses.
Some prior art devices for escape from buildings are known.
In some buildings the exterior of the building may be designed or modified to incorporate exterior escape routes or emergency evacuation equipment. This approach is not suitable for use in very high buildings, nor is the approach suitable for the escape of the large numbers of people that may need to leave a building at any one time.
Portable escape devices are also known. Some of these devices have the advantage that any one individual may acquire and carry their own device for emergency situations. This obviously provides the individual with his or her own personal escape device, which is psychologically reassuring. However, these devices frequently operate on the basis of a friction brake with a simple on/off mechanism that causes jarring in use and, as such they are not suitable for traversing the distances needed to be travelled to reach ground level safely from many modern buildings. For example, the construction of the devices may be such that they would conceivably be very bulky if constructed for use in higher buildings, or the heat generated during their use would make them impractical. For this reason existing portable escape and descent devices are perhaps providing illusory reassurance to their owners.
It is to this situation that the present invention is addressed. A portable escape device is provided that allows the user to travel many floor levels.